For fundamentalist Christians anticipating a call to Heaven onSaturday for the widely publicized and controversial Rapture, thereis peace of mind to be had for the pets they are leavingbehind.

According to Harold Camping, a Christian radio broadcaster andpresident of Family Radio, 200 million believers will be rapturedand taken to Heaven, leaving the “unsaved” population left behinduntil five months later, when it's predicted that Earth and theuniverse will be destroyed.

For those believers who are concerned about their animals'welfare during that period, atheist Bart Centre is offering apolicy of sorts that provides Rapture believers reassurance—even ifCamping's particular prediction is incorrect.

“We started EternalEarth-Bound Pets in June 2009, so it's not related to Mr.Camping's latest prophecy, although it's been a boon to me,” saysCentre. “I started in six states with a handful of friends andfellow atheists, and now we are in 26 states with 46 atheist petrescuers. These folks are independent contractors who havecommitted to rescuing people's pets in the absurdly remote chancethat the Rapture happens on Saturday or over the next 10years.”

According to the terms of the agreement, interestedpolicyholders sign a contract at a cost of $135 that essentiallyguarantees that in the event of Rapture, the pets of those whodepart for Heaven will be adopted by those left behind—all within24 hours.

“The contract is good for any Rapture from now until the end oftheir contract term, which is 10 years,” says Centre. “That's about$1 a month for 10 year coverage peace of mind.”

According to Centre, all animal caretakers go through a criminalbackground check, a credit check, and then must guarantee theirpresence on Earth post-Rapture by agreeing to commit a particularkind of sin.

“We ask that rescuers blaspheme in accordance with Mark 3:29,which states, 'But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit willnever be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.'”

Apparently business is picking up due to recent publicity. “Wehave 259 clients to date,” says Centre. “From January through March2011, we saw a 27 percent increase over the same period in 2010,and in April through [May 20] we're up 45 percent over last yearduring the same period.”

In terms of public response to his business, Centre reports abit of a mixed bag.

“I get many emails from atheists who want to be rescuers, and Iget emails from Episcopal and Catholic Christians who arecongratulatory because they are non-believers in the Rapture andthey think that what I'm doing is very funny and they wish meluck,” he says. “And of course I get emails from Christianbelievers who are quite antagonized by my offering, and they feel Iam making fun of their beliefs and that I'm going to hell and thatI'd better come to Jesus. We get some threats, some bad language,but it's all in a day's work.”

In the end (so to speak), there is still a contractual promiseto uphold, and it's something that Centre says he intends to honorfor the largely fundamentalist evangelical Christians who arebuying his policies.

“Whether someone wants to say it's a joke or that I'm trying tomake a cynical point about religion, the point is I have clientsand we've made almost $35,000, so we're taking it seriously,” hesays. “We have an infrastructure and a process in place by whichour rescuers would be called into action if the Rapture occurs.Rescuers have been confirmed to have the wherewithal and income toafford these pets, and everything we say we will do, we willdo.”